Sleigh Ride
by Vivian Tanner
Summary: While trying to teach the boys on a much needed vacation, DG gets captured by a band of renegade long coats. In the process of escaping the gang gets to act out one of Glitch's new favorite songs when they're forced to take an impromptu sleigh ride.
1. Plans Gone Wrong

**Title: **Sleigh Ride

**Author:** Vivian Tanner

**Rating:** K+

**Main Characters: **The fierce some foursome, DG, Raw, Cain & Glitch

**Summary: **While trying to teach the boys about Christmas on a much needed vacation, DG gets captured by a band of renegade long coats. In the process of escaping the gang gets to act out one of Glitch's new favorite songs when they're forced to take an impromptu sleigh ride.

**Disclaimer: **I claim no ownership to these characters; the lucky owners are the creative minds behind Sci-Fi Channel's "_Tin Man_", and the amazing author L. Frank Baum. I'm just barrowing them for a short time (though I wouldn't mind keeping Glitch or Cain for a little longer). This story was written purely for the joy of writing, no money is being made for its creation. Please don't sue me; I really don't have anything of value anyways.

**A/N:** This is the first fan-fiction I've wrote for this series, but I was so upset with the ending of the movies that I had to help our favorite quartet continue their travels. And they just look like a fun group to write for. Please review; let me know if I should continue or stick with the cowboys I usually write for.

Sleigh Ride

_Chapter I: Plans Gone Wrong_

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to. . to. . to -." The off key singing came to a sudden stop throwing the three traveling champions into silence. "What was the next line again? Oh I wish DG was here, she would at least sing with me."

"For the last time Zipper head will you please shut-up. The idea is to sneak up on these guys so we can get the princess back, not get caught along side her." Wyatt Cain, former member of the Central City Tin Man squad, once a member of the Mystic Man's protection detail, member of the former resistance and now self appointed protector of the youngest princess of the O.Z. knew in his heart he should be nicer to his friend but at the moment he wasn't listening to his heart he was listening to other parts of his body.

The four friends had decided to act upon DG's idea to get away for awhile, while there was a slow down in problems at the palace to need their time and attention. Since the defeat of possessed form of Azkadellia the four unique companions had been thrust, along with everyone else, into the mountains of work needed to fix the O.Z. after the witch's reign of terror. Three months had passed since the eclipse and within that time the only chance the four had had to talk was on the rare occasions when they were at lunch or dinner together. Now after all of that time and hard work the unlikely friends were on their way to the Queen's frozen palace in the north to spend a few weeks away. While the trip was being planned DG had mentioned something they celebrated on the other side, a holiday called Christmas. Ahamo had been in the library at the time and had instantly began reliving childhood memories of the day, which got DG talking about her holiday experiences. The trip planning meeting basically dissolved into the two experts of the holiday teaching it, including the carols, to the rest of the group. A group which had grew to include Jeb, the Queen, Azkadellia and Tutor when the other five had talked through dinner still stowed away in the library.

Now, standing here in the bleak cold landscape, with the other two members of his group staring at him like lost puppies waiting of him to plan their next move Cain found himself wishing he had fought with DG about accepting the Queen's idea of throwing their own Christmas party at the palace. The offer had been made over breakfast the morning following the library discussion, and subsequently shot down by DG later at lunch.

_Flashback _

"But my dear you and your father sounded so happy last night talking about this _Christmas_ of yours, I thought you would love to celebrate it in the O.Z." The Queen could not understand why her youngest daughter would rather go tramping around the forest with her friends in the snow, rather than stay at the palace and celebrate this Other Side holiday in the warmth and safety of being among her family. "Wouldn't you rather stay out of the cold? Why . . . we could throw a ball?"

"I'm sorry mother, that sounds like a nice idea and all but I really need a break. I don't know how many more meetings or fittings or coming out what-ca-ma-call-its I can take. I mean I went from being a twenty year old girl with a dead-end job, in a nowhere town to the princess of an entire realm that I can barely remember!" DG hadn't meant to start yelling but once she had gotten going there was just no way to control the emotions she had been bottling up inside of her since the beginning of this insane trip. Now, starring at the stunned faces of everyone at the table around her the young princess had the sudden desire to flee . . . so flee she did, straight out of the kitchen to her room.

Back in the dinning room, the Queen quickly schooled her features to hide the shock that had flashed through her person at the outburst of her youngest. Around her the other occupants at the tabled handled the outburst in three distinct manners. Ahamo moved to check on his wife, Az and Jeb both became quite interested in the new wall paper, while Cain, Glitch and Raw rose as one each mumbling an excuse for their early departure and left to check on DG.

_End of Flashback _

_Yup, I should have took the kid back to settle things with her mother, and pushed the idea of staying there till the snow stopped_. The Tin Man came to a stop, glancing around the trio to look for any landmarks to get his bearings from. Unfortunately all he saw has he slowly spun in a circle was lots and lots of white._ Damn, now we're lost out here without the carriage, without supplies, without DG, and-._

"Jingle bells, jingle bells . . ."

Cain was just about to yell at the head case to shut up when his eyes caught something in the distance that made him smile.

"I think we may have found them boys."

"What makes you say that?"

When Glitch did not receive an answer he turned to comment about Cain not being the one who was suppose to glitch. Instead he found himself following the gazes of his two friends into the distance at a single wisp of smoke rising up from the forest.

"So, um Cain . . . what do we do now?"

"We get DG back."

TBC . . . .if you think I should? Please review, all comments are appreciated.


	2. New Plan

_~~~ The New Plan~~~_

"Come on guys, could you give a girl a break?" DG had been trying for hours now to get her captures to let her down, with no such luck. It seemed that these Long Coats were happy to see her dangle from the trees in her way to small of a cage. "Come on!! What is it with people in this realm and hanging prisoners from trees? You're worst then the ankle bitters!"

When it became obvious that her captures where either ignoring her or simply not paying attention because they did not see her as a threat, the youngest princess of the O.Z. decided it was time for her to act. First she needed to see why her complaints were going unanswered. To do this DG began to swing the cage from side to side so that she could see out of the side.

What she saw made her if she should laugh, cheer or cry. There around the fire lay her captors, they seemed to all be passed out . . . apparently they had decided to celebrate their capture of a princess. Now as a result of their celebrating DG found herself with an excellent chance to get away, and no idea on how to go about doing just that.

"This would be a great time for the guys to show up . . . I mean it . . . I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MY FRIENDS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!" After her screamed confession DG realized that fate was not with her. "Well it would have been nice, let's see how I can get myself out of this. Maybe there is a way out of this cage."

After several minutes of pulling at ropes, trying to pick the lock with her hair clip, and simply shaking the bars in hopes that they would open, DG came to the realization that she was trapped, with no real guards watching her, hanging from a tree in the middle of no where. _Only in the O.Z. could this happen to me, only here can I go from spending a fun filled vacation in the snow with my friends to being turned into someone's nightingale. _

"Wait . . . nightingale maybe that would work. The guys can't be to far away; maybe they just need some way to find me." Checking one more time below her to confirm that her _'guards_' were still out the youngest princess of the O.Z. put into action her plan for escape. "Let's see which one was I teaching Glitch last . . . I'm sure it's the only thing he's remembered clearly since we got separated . . . Oh yeah, here goes nothing."

* * * * * * *

"Hey Cain, do you hear that?" Glitch had been following Cain and Raw, humming that carol that DG had taught to himself while they headed towards the smoke that the Tin Man had spotted earlier. Now Glitch found himself on the ground looking up at Cain's back. "How did I get down here?"

"Shh! Glitch I think you're right I do hear something." Cain helped the form advisor up, but was only half aware of what he was doing has he tried to focus on the sound coming from the trees. "I think it's the kid. Can anyone tell which way it's coming from?"

The trio had been following the visible trail of smoke rising steadily in the sky till about an hour ago, then the fire must have died out, or the wind shifted because they had lost their beacon to where their missing princess could be. Now floating on the breeze was the sound of singing, one of those carols that DG had been trying to teach to the group earlier that week. Cain and Raw both now found themselves running in the direction of the faint singing, stopping to help Glitch up every time he would fall or see something that caused him to glitch and head in the other direction.

_"Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, all is-."_

The song was suddenly interrupted with a vicious fit of coughing. Cain came to a stop, knowing they were close, but still not sure exactly where the Long Coats' camp could be. _At least we have a direction now, good job kid. _"Come on you two, it sounds like we need to get there before she sings her voice out."

With a new sense of energy the trio was off again to find their missing member. All Cain could think was how it would not be a silent night for the Long Coats if anything had happened to their girl.

**A/N:** Okay so I know it's been a while since I updated this, and I apologize for fact that this chapter is so short. I promise to update more regularly, and with larger installments. Let me know what you think, good or bad I love reviews.

Happy Holidays!!!!


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